Highlights from the Collection: Taiwan First Expo

The year 1935 marked the 40th anniversary of Japanese colonization in Taiwan.  To show how far Taiwan had progressed under its rule, the colonial government decided to host a large-scale exposition called “Taiwan Expo:  40 Years of Japanese Rule.”  As many as 2,000 people from the government and citizens of Taiwan were called into action after the Governor-General’s Office initiated the preparation work. The funding came partially from the Governor-General’s Office and partially from donations by notable business and political people...After about a year of preparation, the Expo took place from October 10th to November 28th in 1935. 

The Expo lasted for nearly two months and was aimed at displaying Taiwanese and Japanese products and construction development.  Besides introducing exotic specialties exclusive to Taiwan, one goal was to convey the concept of modernization.  A fine dazzling assortment of produce and crafts, along with landscape models, lit up the 30-plus specially-designed exhibition halls, showcasing the nation’s political, economic and cultural power.
The first exhibition area was located at Taipei Assembly Hall on Sanxian Road in Taipei City (today’s Zhonghua Road and Taipei Zhongshan Hall), featuring Taiwan’s agriculture, forestry, sugar and mining industries.  Also organized in the hall were the achievements of railway construction, urban planning, telecom and postal services in Taiwan.  Brief profiles of Japan’s other colonies, such as Korea and Manchuria, were also on display.  The Japanese businesses Nippon Steel Corp. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd were among the exhibiting companies.

 
The second exhibition venue was at Taipei New Park (today’s 228 Peace Memorial Park).  Two sections were organized there:  the Exhibition Section and the Recreation Section.  The Exhibition Section presented Taiwan’s cultural development during the 40 years of rule, Japanese military defense equipment, boats and vessels, Taiwanese electronic devices and monopolized facilities.  Furthermore, items from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya and Hokkaido were all in place for visitors to enjoy.  The Recreation Section featured a music hall, a performance hall, a theater, an aquarium, a children’s playground and a dining hall. 
 
The Dadaocheng Southern Exhibition Hall was located near the Taiping Public School (today’s Taiping Elementary School).  This area offered an overview of the situations in south China and Southeast Asia, and displayed special products made by Fujian Provincial Government and from the Philippines and Thailand.  Also, there was a horse-themed room open for visiting, and a Performance Room set up for Chinese traditional drama.
 
Another exhibition venue was the Grass Mountain Exhibition Hall located in the Beitou hot springs area.  It showed Taiwan’s famous tourists attractions, blueprints for the future Datun National Park (now known as Yangmingshan National Park) and images of Japanese national parks. 
Alongside the exhibitions, many large-scale activities were held, such as the Beigang Mazu Tour, sports events, industry conferences, and poetry, calligraphy, and painting contests.  Teams from Taiwan, Korea, and Manchuria joined the track and field competitions.  Baseball games were played.  Various kinds of recreational performances were staged—singing and dancing, traditional plays, Chinese Beijing opera, modern plays, and acrobatics.  Parades and fireworks displays were also not left out of the Expo. 
 
According to the number of admission tickets registered during the exhibition, over 2,750,000 people entered the exhibition halls, with the estimated number of visitors being over a million.  Among them, hundreds of thousands of people from across Taiwan came to Taipei by train just to witness the magnificent event.
It follows logically that the Governor-General’s Office grasped the Expo as a chance to show off the performance of its colonial administration.  But even to the Taiwanese, there was no denying that the Expo was a lively carnival with novelties that impressed the eye.
 
 
Collection on the Taiwan First Expo:
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Exhibition Layout Plan for Grass Mountain Exhibition Hall
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499001 - 00103341000019002001M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Exhibition Layout Plan
Description: preservation condition: good
Data identification number: 00103499001 - 00103341000019002002M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Exhibition Layout Plan
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499001 - 00103341000019002003M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Picture of Assembled Glass Display Cabinets 
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000029002001M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Layout for the Camphor Display Room
Description:  Present Status:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000029001001M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Assembled Glass Display Cabinets
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000029001002M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Glass Display Cabinets - Plan View and Sectional Drawing
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000029002002M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Layout of Display Booths
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000029001003M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Exhibition Layout Plan 
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000020206M
 
Taiwan Expo:  40th Anniversary of Japanese Rule:  Layout of Display Booths:  Industry Promotion Hall           
Description:  preservation condition:  good
Data identification number: 00103499002 - 00103341000020286M